 Live Aid (2004) 1. Band Aid is still incredibly cool. 2. USA for Africa is incredibly annoying, even though they're worth more $$$. 3. The Style Council set is great. 4. A fiery young U2 kicks a lot of ass, and has the 70,000 people in the palm of their hand. 5. Elvis Costello should have played more songs. 6. A wobbly Brian Wilson is playing with the Beach Boys, which is somewhat cool, but someone's REALLY off key in the "Wouldn't It Be Nice" bridge. 7. Lots of bad puffy hair everywhere. 8. The Boomtown Rats don't translate well to the big stadium. 9. Spandau Ballet was actually cool. 10. Dire Straits performance was like a Dead show, "Sultans" goes on for 10 minutes, but is really interesting as they change up the themes. 11. Phil Collins solo ballads are still lame, whether you're in London or Philadelphia. 12. The camera shows the wrong Judas Priest guitarist during the "Livin' After Midnight" solo. 13. Ozzy has a lot of trouble singing "Paranoid" in the death-key that Iommi plays it live. 14. Roger Daltrey misses the bridge in "Won't Get Fooled Again," irking the hell out of Peter Townshend, but it's cool hearing the crowd erupt when Townshend lets the signature guitar windmills fly. 15. Queen were the greatest stadium rock band of all time. 70,000 people clapping in unison over their heads for the entire set. These guys are worth the price of the set alone. WOW. I was in complete awe watching them. 16. Duran Duran, not bad, but not a great stadium act either. 17. Both stadium finales are awful. 18. It's great watching Slowhand play really FAST in 1985. MAN. What a set from Clapton. Seriously. Watch it yourself and make your own 18 observations. If there's such a thing as an essential music DVD, here it is.
Review by Morton Shart |